Ankara and Tehran are embroiled in a fresh diplomatic dispute as Turkey summoned Iran’s chargé d’affaires in Ankara on Tuesday, following Tehran’s decision to call in Turkey’s ambassador. The tensions stem from Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s recent warning that Iran’s regional policies risk destabilizing the Middle East.
During a February interview with Al Jazeera, Fidan accused Iran of conducting foreign policy through militias in regional countries, warning of the “great risk” such an approach poses. “If this policy continues, I don’t think it will be good,” he said, adding, “If you do not want a stone to be thrown at your window, you will not throw a stone at someone else’s window.” The remarks were widely interpreted as criticism of Iran’s backing of armed groups across the region.
Tehran Pushes Back
Iran reacted strongly to Fidan’s statements. On Monday, Iran’s Assistant Foreign Minister Mahmoud Heydari warned against “false statements and unrealistic analyses that could lead to differences and tensions.” His remarks came during a meeting with Turkey’s Ambassador to Iran, Hicabi Kırlangıç. While some Iranian media outlets claimed that Kırlangıç had been summoned, Iran’s Foreign Ministry did not officially characterize the meeting as such.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei also responded, emphasizing that while Tehran values its relationship with Ankara, it would not allow such comments to go unanswered. “We believe that Turkey is both aware of the importance of maintaining and promoting bilateral relations based on the national interests of both nations and is committed to it,” Baqaei said.
Iranian politicians also issued strong responses. Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesman for the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said Iran would not passively wait for a “stone to hit its window” but would instead dismantle “the house” of its opponents, as reported by the Tehran Times.
Turkey Defends Its Position
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry summoned Iran’s chargé d’affaires in Ankara on Tuesday in response to Tehran’s reaction. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Öncü Keçeli confirmed that the meeting was convened to exchange views and address accusations made by Iranian officials against Turkey.
“In recent times, we have observed that Iranian officials have been voicing their criticism of Turkey more frequently in public forums,” Keçeli noted. He added that Turkey had previously conveyed a formal document to Iran addressing its concerns.
Keçeli underscored Turkey’s preference for direct diplomatic engagement. “We believe that foreign policy issues should not be used as material for domestic politics,” he said. “In this regard, we prefer to communicate critical messages directly to the relevant parties. That is what we did today. We highly value our relations with Iran, and strengthening ties between Turkey and Iran is important to us.”
Regional Power Struggle
The latest diplomatic spat highlights the long-standing geopolitical rivalry between Turkey and Iran. Despite their status as two major regional powers with significant economic ties—bilateral trade amounted to $5.49 billion in 2023—the two nations have frequently clashed over key issues.
In Syria, Turkey backed opposition forces against the Assad regime, while Iran, alongside Russia, supported Assad. More recently, Iran was a key backer of the Syrian president before he was ousted on December 8, 2024, following an offensive by an Islamist-led rebel alliance with ties to Turkey.
Additionally, Iran leads the so-called “axis of resistance” against Israel, which includes Hamas in the Palestinian territories, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthi rebels in Yemen, and armed factions in Iraq. Turkey, meanwhile, maintains strong ties with Azerbaijan, a country Iran views with suspicion due to its close relations with Israel and Western nations.
A Fragile Balance
Despite their differences, both nations recognize the importance of maintaining diplomatic relations. Iran remains a significant economic partner for Turkey, with major trade involving machinery, plastics, agriculture, and metal ores. Moreover, Iranians were the second-largest group of foreign property buyers in Turkey in both December 2024 and January 2025, according to Turkish data.
